Hungarian Chess Championship Explained

The inaugural Hungarian Chess Championship was held in the city of Győr in 1906. Initially, there was no governing body responsible for its organisation, until the formation of the Hungarian Chess Federation. The HCF first appeared in 1911, but failed to establish itself properly until 1923.

The regularity of the Championship was patchy prior to 1950, due in part to the two world wars and inadequate funding. Since 1949 however, the HCF has been integrated with the Hungarian Sports Federation and so receives state support. Consequently, the Championship has since been held on an annual basis, with only the occasional omission. Exceptionally two consecutive events have occurred in the same year, due to the event being held at the year end.

The events held in 1981, 1984, 1991 and 1997 were all termed Super Championships. In both 1985 and 1988, the traditional national championship was substituted by an open championship and the winner of both editions was the Hungarian IM Béla Perényi.

The venue for the event has mostly been the Hungarian capital city, Budapest. The events held post-World War II carry the official numbering (#) shown below, while the events held prior to 1945 are tagged with the letter 'p' (#p).

The 1999 championship (49th Men's, 47th Women's) was held 1–9 February in Lillafüred.In the men's section, the ten-player single round-robin tournament (average Elo rating 2553) was won by GM Zoltán Almási 6.0/9, a half point ahead of GM Gyula Sax and GM Zoltán Varga. The ten-player women's single round-robin (average Elo 2261) was won by WM Nóra Medvegy on tie-break over IM Ildikó Mádl, both with 6.0/9.Although invited by the Hungarian Chess Federation, some of the strongest Hungarian players chose not to participate in this event, including Susan Polgar, Judit Polgár, Zsófia Polgár, Péter Lékó, Lajos Portisch, and Zoltán Ribli.

Men's winners

	Year	City	Winner
01p	1906		Zoltán von Balla
02p	1907		Leó Forgács
03p	1911		Zoltán von Balla, Zsigmond Barász
04p	1912		Gyula Breyer
05p	1913		Lajos Asztalos
06p	1922		Kornél Havasi
07p	1924		Géza Nagy
08p	1928		Árpád Vajda
09p	1931		Lajos Steiner
10p	1932		Géza Maróczy
11p	1933		Esteban Canal
12p	1934		Erich Eliskases
13p	1935		László Szabó
14p	1936		Lajos Steiner, Miguel Najdorf
15p	1937		László Szabó
16p	1939		László Szabó
17p	1941		Géza Füster
18p	1942		Gedeon Barcza
19p	1943		Gedeon Barcza
01	1945		Tibor Florián
02	1946		László Szabó
03	1947		Gedeon Barcza
04	1948		Pal Benko
05	1950(1)		Gedeon Barcza
06	1950(2)		László Szabó
07	1951		Gedeon Barcza
08	1952		László Szabó
09	1953		Béla Sándor
10	1954		László Szabó
11	1955		Gedeon Barcza
12	1957
13	1958(1)		Lajos Portisch
14	1958(2)		Lajos Portisch
15	1959		László Szabó
16	1961		Lajos Portisch
17	1962		Lajos Portisch
18	1963		István Bilek
19	1964		Lajos Portisch
20	1965(1)		István Bilek
21	1965(2)		Lajos Portisch
22	1966		Gedeon Barcza
23	1967/8		László Szabó
24	1968/9		Győző Forintos
25	1969		Péter Dely
26	1970		István Bilek
27	1971		Lajos Portisch
28	1972		István Csom
29	1973		Zoltán Ribli
30	1974		Zoltán Ribli
31	1975		Lajos Portisch
32	1976		Gyula Sax
33	1977		Gyula Sax, Zoltán Ribli
34	1978		József Pintér
35	1979		József Pintér
36	1980		Péter Lukács
37	1981		Lajos Portisch
38	1982		Attila Schneider
39	1984		András Adorján
40	1986		Iván Faragó
41	1989		Attila Schneider
42	1991		Judit Polgár
43	1992		András Adorján
44	1993		András Adorján
45	1994^[1]
46	1995		Zoltán Almási
47	1996		Zoltán Varga
48	1997		Zoltán Almási
49	1998
50	1999		Zoltán Almási
51	2000		Zoltán Almási
52	2002		Róbert Ruck
53	2003		Zoltán Almási
54	2004		Ferenc Berkes
55	2005		Zoltán Gyimesi
56	2006		Zoltán Almási
57	2007		Ferenc Berkes
58	2008		Zoltán Almási
59	2009		Zoltán Almási
60	2010		Ferenc Berkes
61	2011		Viktor Erdős
62	2012		Ferenc Berkes
63	2013		Ferenc Berkes
64	2014		Ferenc Berkes
65	2015		Ádám Horváth
66	2016		Ferenc Berkes^[2]
67	2017		Richárd Rapport^[3]
68	2018		Ferenc Berkes
69	2019		Zoltán Almási^[4]
–	2020	Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
70	2021		Péter Ács
71	2022		Péter Prohászka
72	2023		Gergely Antal

Women's winners

	Year	City	Winner
p1	1942		Józsa Lángos
p2	1943		Józsa Lángos
p3	1944		Józsa Lángos
1	1947		Józsa Lángos
^[5]	1949		Józsa Lángos
2	1950		Józsa Lángos
3	1951		Józsa Lángos
4	1952		Józsa Lángos
5	1953		Jolán Krcsmarik
6	1954		Éva Karakas
7	1955		Erzsébet Finta
8	1956		Éva Karakas
9	1957		Irén Hönsch
10	1958		Istvánné Bilek
11	1959		Jenőné Sillye
12	1960		Jenőné Sillye
13	1961		Károlyné Honfi
14	1962		Éva Karakas
15	1963		Istvánné Bilek
16	1964		Erzsébet Finta
17	1965		Éva Karakas
18	1966		Éva Karakas
19	1967		Mária Ivánka
20	1968		Mária Ivánka
21	1970(1)		Mária Ivánka
22	1970(2)		Mária Ivánka
23	1971		Mária Ivánka
24	1972		Mária Ivánka
25	1973		Zsuzsa Verőci
26	1974		Mária Ivánka
27	1975		Éva Karakas
28	1976		Éva Karakas
29	1977		Zsuzsa Verőci
30	1978		Mária Ivánka
31	1979		Mária Porubszky
32	1980		Zsuzsa Makai
33	1981		Tünde Csonkics
34	1982		Ilona Kurucsai
35	1983		Zsuzsa Verőci
36	1985		Ildikó Mádl
37	1986		Mária Ivánka
38	1988		Erika Sziva
39	1990		Ildikó Mádl
40	1991		Ildikó Mádl
41	1992		Rita Atkins
42	1993		Ildikó Mádl
43	1995(1)		Eva Forgo
44	1995(2)		Nóra Medvegy
45	1996		Mónika Grábics
46	1997		Nikoletta Lakos
47	1999		Nóra Medvegy
48	2000		Anita Gara
49	2001		Anita Gara
50	2002		Nikoletta Lakos
53	2003		Yelena Dembo
54	2004		Szidonia Vajda
55	2005		Nikoletta Lakos
56	2006		Ticia Gara
57	2007		Ticia Gara
58	2008		Anna Rudolf
59	2009		Anita Gara
60	2010		Anna Rudolf
61	2011		Anna Rudolf
62	2012		Petra Papp
63	2013
64	2014		Ildikó Mádl
65	2015		Szidonia Vajda
66	2016		Anita Gara
67	2017		Anita Gara
68	2018		Bianka Havanecz
69	2019		Ticia Gara^[6]
–	2020	Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
–	2021	Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
70	2022		Zsuzsanna Terbe
71	2023		Zsóka Gaál

Crosstables

HUN-ch 42nd Budapest 1991! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 0 !! Points !! TB !! Perf. !! +/-
1	2550		½	1	½	½	½	½	1	1	½	6		2648	+12
2	2530	½		½	½	1	½	½	½	½	1	5½	23.75	2608	+10
3	2600	0	½		½	1	1	½	½	1	½	5½	23.25	2600	0
4	2540	½	½	½		½	½	½	1	½	½	5	21.75	2567	+4
5	2535	½	0	0	½		1	1	1	½	½	5	20.25	2568	+4
6	2570	½	½	0	½	0		1	½	1	½	4½		2526	-6
7	2500	½	½	½	½	0	0		½	½	½	3½	16.00	2455	-6
8	2480	0	½	½	0	0	½	½		½	1	3½	14.25	2458	-3
9	2480	0	½	0	½	½	0	½	½		1	3½	14.25	2458	-3
10	2515	½	0	½	½	½	½	½	0	0		3		2412	-13

HUN-ch (Women) 51st Budapest 2001! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 0 !! Points !! TB !! Perf. !! +/-
1	2303		½	½	½	1	1	½	1	1	1	7		2487	+21
2	2158	½		1	0	½	1	0	1	1	1	5	22.00	2324	+20
3	2391	½	0		0	1	½	1	1	1	1	5	20.75	2299	-11
4	2295	½	1	1		0	0	½	1	1	½	5	20.25	2309	+2
5	2294	½	½	0	1		½	0	½	1	1	5	20.25	2309	+2
6	2184	0	0	½	½	½		1	½	½	½	5	19.75	2321	+17
7	2381	0	0	½	0	1	0		1	½	1	4		2223	-19
8	2339	½	½	½	0	½	½	0		½	½	3½		2187	-19
9	2227	0	½	0	0	0	½	½	½		1	3		2158	-9
10	2156	0	0	½	1	0	½	0	½	0		2½		2120	-5

HUN-ch (Women) 53rd Budapest 2003! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 0 !! Points !! TB !! Perf. !! +/-
1	2390		0	1	1	1	1	1	1	½	1	7½		2568	+18
2	2354	1		½	½	½	½	1	1	1	1	7		2510	+18
3	2403	0	½		½	½	1	½	½	1	1	5½		2367	-4
4	2352	0	½	½		½	½	½	1	1	½	5		2332	-2
5	2372	0	½	½	½		½	0	1	1	½	4½	16.75	2291	-10
6	2262	0	½	0	½	½		1	½	½	1	4½	16.75	2303	+5
7	2249	0	0	½	½	1	0		1	1	½	4½	15.50	2304	+7
8	2191	0	0	½	0	0	½	0		1	1	3		2191	-1
9	2196	½	0	0	0	0	½	0	0		1	2		2093	-11
10	2222	0	0	0	½	½	0	½	0	0		1½		2029	-20

Average Elo: 2299 <=> Cat: 2

HUN-ch (Women) 57th Eger 2009! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 0 !! Points !! TB !! Perf. !! +/-
1	2353	½		0	1	½	1	1	1	1	1	7	26.50	2478	+14
2	2354		½	1	1	½	½	1	½	1	1	7	28.00	2478	+14
3	2159	0	1		0	1	½	1	1	½	½	5½	23.00	2361	+25
4	2344	½	1	1		0	0	½	1	1	½	5½	19.50	2341	0
5	2310	½	½	0	1		½	0	½	1	1	5	19.25	2305	0
6	2375	0	0	½	½	½		1	½	½	½	5	18.00	2298	-9
7	2313	0	0	½	0	1	0		1	½	1	4		2141	-11
8	2141	½	½	½	0	½	½	0		½	½	3		2121	+2
9	2236	0	½	0	0	0	½	½	½		1	2		2066	-20
10	2117	0	0	½	1	0	½	0	½	0		1		2074	-15

HUN-ch (Women) 58th Nyíregyháza 2010! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 0 !! Points !! TB !! Perf. !! +/-
1	2344		0	1	1	½	1	1	1	1	1	7½		2497	+15
2	2175	1		½	1	½	1	0	0	1	1	6	27.25	2357	+23
3	2234	0	½		½	1	1	1	½	1	½	6	23.00	2350	+15
4	2389	½	1	1		0	0	½	1	1	½	5½		2302	+2
5	2270	½	½	0	1		½	0	½	1	1	4½		2227	-5
6	2146	0	0	½	½	½		1	½	½	½	4		2201	+6
7	2339	0	0	½	0	1	0		1	½	1	3½		2141	-25
8	2139	½	½	½	0	½	½	0		½	½	3		2121	-3
9	2223	0	½	0	0	0	½	½	½		1	2½	10.00	2066	-19
10	2147	0	0	½	1	0	½	0	½	0		2½	8.50	2074	-9

HUN-ch (Women) 59th Szeged 2011! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 0 !! Points !! TB !! Perf. !! +/-
1	2359		½	½	½	½	1	1	½	½	1	6	5.00	2370	+2
2	2204	½		1	0	½	1	0	1	1	1	6	4.00	2388	+23
3	2375	½	0		0	1	½	1	1	1	1	6	3.00	2370	0
4	2340	½	1	1		0	0	½	1	1	½	5½	23.25	2332	-1
5	2204	½	½	0	1		½	0	½	1	1	5½	21.75	2346	+18
6	2256	0	0	½	½	½		1	½	½	½	5		2300	+6
7	2212	0	0	½	0	1	0		1	½	1	4		2228	+2
8	2139	½	½	½	0	½	½	0		½	½	3½		2196	+6
9	2215	0	½	0	0	0	½	½	½		1	2		2049	-19
10	2216	0	0	½	1	0	½	0	½	0		1½		1987	-24

HUN-ch (Women) 60th Kisvarda 2012! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 0 !! Points !! TB !! Perf. !! +/-
1	2254		½	½	1	1	0	½	1	1	1	6½		2398	+17
2	2377	½		½	½	1	1	0	1	½	1	6	24.75	2340	-3
3	2243	½	½		0	1	1	1	½	½	1	6	24.50	2354	+14
4	2322	0	½	1		½	1	0	½	½	1	5	20.75	2264	-7
5	2306	0	0	0	½		1	1	½	1	1	5	17.25	2266	-5
6	2185	1	0	0	0	0		1	1	½	1	4½		2240	+7
7	2210	½	1	0	1	0	0		½	½	½	4		2199	-2
8	2085	0	0	½	½	½	0	½		1	½	3½		2173	+9
9	2234	0	½	½	½	0	½	½	0		½	3		2115	-15
10	2133	0	0	0	0	0	0	½	½	½		1½		1967	-16

References

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Book: György. Négyesi. György . Honfi . Az egyéni magyar bajnokságok – férfi és női . Budapest . 2014 . 978-963-12-0734-7 . hu.
Fehér, Gyula (1991–2005), Magyar Országos SakkTájékoztató, results 1991 - 2005
(men's winners up to 1985)
- - - - Short bio of Attila Schneider
Women's 2007 event Zsuzsa Verőci report
ChessBase online database
Web site: Női sakkbajnokság: Gara Anita ötödik bajnoki címét nyerte . 2016-05-01. 2016-05-01. webradio.hu . hu.

Notes and References

Played in January 1995, but related to 1994
News: Kerkai . Attila . Ivan Ivanisevic győzött a XXXV. Zalakaros Sakkfesztiválon . hu . Zalai Hírlap . 2016-06-04 . 2016-12-03 . 2021-10-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211023151148/https://www.zaol.hu/sport/ivan-ivanisevic-gyozott-a-xxxv-zalakaros-sakkfesztivalon-1772065/ . dead .
http://sakkblog.reblog.hu/cimke/Zalakarosi+Sakkfesztiv%C3%A1l+2017 Zalakaroson Rapport Richárd nyerte a nyílt magyar bajnokságot
Web site: The Week in Chess 1311. 2020-07-09. theweekinchess.com.
Not official championship
Web site: The Week in Chess 1311. 2020-07-09. theweekinchess.com.